Your front door welcomes your guests as they walk into your home. Furthermore, if your planning on selling your home, your front door is the first thing your potential buyers will see. This might push homeowners to think that they need to replace their doors to add value. While we strongly suggest calling specialists to check whether your door can be restored before actually replacing, here are some of the things to consider when replacing your front door.
Matching your house’s design
As previously mentioned, your front door is the first thing that everyone sees before entering your home. It can make a lasting impression on guests and buyers alike. That is why you should explore modern designs that can match your home perfectly. Do not simply consider the door in itself but the surrounding as well. You can add glass panels around your doors such as transoms and sidelites to match.
You might also want to check out: Can a new front door add value to your home?
Making your door more secure and durable
The disadvantages of having an old door would be that it may be less durable or secure than a new one. This is especially true for front doors that are not well maintained and with damages. The material in itself can provide more security and durability on its own. At the present, we have three main options regarding the materials that our front door is made of. For better security options, while the door itself needs to be strong, multiple lock points can also help secure your home better.
- Wood. This is the most common material for front doors in the UK. This is because most of the architecture of the houses in the country uses panelled wooden doors. This provides a classic look while being able to withstand extreme weather conditions. However, this can come with a price. Aside from the actual price of the door, the maintenance can also cost you some money.
- Steel. Steel doors can come cheapest among the three choices. This can be very durable and secure as well. However, this can be prone to dents and rust which can be very troublesome when consistently exposed to rain and humid weather.
- Fibreglass. This is one of the more modern doors available today. While this can be made to look like your classic wood door, this has all the advantages that a wood door hasn’t. This is highly resistant to wear and tear, scratches, cracks, dents, and rust. This is also very durable and needs little maintenance as well.
Sealing your door to be energy efficient
The door in itself should have better insulation and the wood and fibreglass types work best for this matter. However, this may not be enough and weatherstripping systems may need to be added to make sure that your door is sealed and no draught or heat can come into your home. This can help you save money in the long run.
While these are the three main considerations when replacing your front door, know that there are modern restoration solutions available for these as well, which can come at a cheaper price, but can reap the same benefits for you.
You might also be interested in: New Front Door: Important Factors to Look For Before the Purchase
Pieter Boyce
Wooden Window and Door Specialist
This article was written on behalf of Fortis & Hooke by Pieter Boyce. Pieter has an intense passion for English Architectural history and has been specialising in the conservation of original wooden windows and doors for decades. His exceptional knowledge of timber windows and doors, both listed or non-listed, is attributed to his hands-on approach to learning all aspects of the complete restoration of original features as well as having personally surveyed thousands of items throughout his long tenure as a head surveyor for one of the largest window and door restoration companies in the UK. He now runs a boutique wooden window and door consultancy and fervently champions the retention of original windows and doors. To learn more of Pieter’s services, visit his website at www.boultonboyce.co.uk.